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2024 Best Astronomy Master's Degree Schools

19 Colleges in the United States
98 Master's Degrees
When it comes to popularity, a master's degree in astronomy sits in the middle of the road, ranking #518 out of 1172 majors in the country. As such, the degree program isn't offered at every college in the United States, but there are schools that do have a program in the field that are top-notch when it comes to quality.

College Factual reviewed 19 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of astronomy. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 98 master's degrees in astronomy during the 2020-2021 academic year.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Astronomy School for Your Master's Degree

Best Astronomy Master's Degree Schools The astronomical sciences master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we include a college's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for astronomy students working on their master's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Astronomical Sciences Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Astronomy Master's Degree Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you.

Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Astronomy in the United States

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in astronomy.

10 Top Schools for a Master's in Astronomical Sciences

1
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
8 Annual Graduates

Any student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in astronomy needs to check out Northwestern University. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in astronomy from Northwestern University

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
4 Annual Graduates

University of Arizona is a good choice for students interested in a master's degree in astronomy. University of Arizona is a very large public university located in the large city of Tucson.More information about a master’s in astronomy from University of Arizona

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3 Annual Graduates

It's hard to beat University of Chicago if you wish to pursue a master's degree in astronomy. UChicago is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Chicago.More information about a master’s in astronomy from University of Chicago

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
4 Annual Graduates

The University of Texas at Austin is a good option for individuals interested in a master's degree in astronomy. UT Austin is a very large public university located in the large city of Austin.More information about a master’s in astronomy from The University of Texas at Austin

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type

Every student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in astronomy has to check out University of Wisconsin - Madison. UW - Madison is a fairly large public university located in the city of Madison.More information about a master’s in astronomy from University of Wisconsin - Madison

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3 Annual Graduates

Located in the small suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in astronomy from University of Virginia - Main Campus

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3 Annual Graduates

Located in the small city of Ithaca, Cornell is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in astronomy from Cornell University

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
3 Annual Graduates

UMass Amherst is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Amherst.More information about a master’s in astronomy from University of Massachusetts Amherst

8
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL

UF is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Gainesville.More information about a master’s in astronomy from University of Florida

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1 Annual Graduates

UIUC is a very large public university located in the city of Champaign.More information about a master’s in astronomy from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Astronomy by Region

View the Best Astronomy Master's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

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One of 3 majors within the Astronomy & Astrophysics area of study, Astronomy has other similar majors worth exploring.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Astrophysics 65
Planetary Astronomy & Science 16
Other Astronomy & Astrophysics 8

Notes and References

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